Microclimate, Vegetation &amp; Fauna

Stoutjesdijk, Ph.; Barkman, J.J.

doi:10.1163/9789004297807

Cited by 55 publications

(72 citation statements)

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“…On the predominately north-facing slopes at EK, the height at which they laid eggs was highest, and this patch was the only one where the heights of occupied host plants did not differ from those of control plants. The temperature near the ground on north-facing slopes only increases very slightly during the day due to the short period for which they are exposed to sunshine and the acute angle of incidence of solar radiation (Stoutjesdijk & Barkman, 1992). At these sites, taller plants and the higher parts of these plants, where the duration of exposure to sunshine and warming are maximal, should be more favourable for successful development of the eggs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How much care does a shrub-feeding hairstreak butterfly, Satyrium spini (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), need in calcareous grasslands?

Löffler¹,

Stuhldreher²,

Fartmann³

2013

Eur. J. Entomol.

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Abstract. Many butterfly target species are associated with early successional stages of grasslands. The Blue-spot Hairstreak, Satyrium spini (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), is a target species of grasslands. However, it feeds on Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), which is associated with late successional stages of grasslands. If S. spini would also be restricted to late seral stages, there might be a management dilemma due to the contrasting requirements of S. spini and other target species. The aim of this study was to determine the oviposition preference of S. spini in calcareous grasslands, and to give management recommendations to promote this species. Therefore, we studied the oviposition microhabitats of S. spini at three representative patches of the Diemel Valley (Central Germany) by comparing environmental conditions on occupied and control host plants. In total we surveyed 1,889 host plants. Altogether we found 148 batches of S. spini on them containing 396 eggs. Most of the eggs were on plants that grew under the warmest conditions. Females preferred to lay eggs on small (< 1.3 m) shrubs of Rh. cathartica fully exposed to the sun growing on steep south-and west-facing slopes. This butterfly showed no difference in its preference for bushes growing in hedges or solitarily. About 80% of the batches of eggs were laid on the upper surface of a twig fork close to the surface of the ground (< 1 m). Our study showed that S. spini is a species characteristic of mid-successional stages of calcareous grasslands. The survival of suitable habitats for S. spini depends on regular management. To achieve this we recommend traditional rough grazing with sheep and goats, which creates open grasslands with small Rhamnus plants. In addition, the shrubs in tall hedges bordering calcareous grasslands should be subjected to cutting on a rotating basis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How much care does a shrub-feeding hairstreak butterfly, Satyrium spini (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), need in calcareous grasslands?

Löffler¹,

Stuhldreher²,

Fartmann³

2013

Eur. J. Entomol.

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“…Differences in microclimatic conditions are known to influence bugs (Di Giulio et al 2001;Stoutjesdijk and Barkman 2014), which probably contributed to the significantly different bug assemblages observed between managed and abandoned meadows. For example, Myrmus miriformis, a character species for abandoned meadows in the present study, inhabits a wide range of habitats with the exception of xerothermic habitats (Wachmann et al 2007).…”

Section: Response Of Bugs To Land-use Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity of bumblebees, heteropteran bugs and grasshoppers maintained by both: abandonment and extensive management of mountain meadows in three regions across the Austrian and Swiss Alps

et al. 2017

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Context Abandonment of extensively managed meadows is an ongoing global challenge in recent decades, particularly in mountain regions, and directly affects plant diversity. However, the extent to which plant diversity further affects associated insect pollinators or herbivores is little investigated. Objectives We focused on the effects of abandonment of mountain meadows on species richness and assemblages of bumblebees, bugs and grasshoppers. Specifically, we investigated the influence of vegetation cover, flower cover, plant richness and surrounding landscape on the three insect groups.Methods Species richness, abundance and species assemblages of bumblebees, bugs and grasshoppers were surveyed in one Swiss and two Austrian regions: three meadows which had been abandoned for 15-60 years, and three extensively managed meadows (mown once a year, no use of fertilizers). We surveyed bumblebees and bugs by sweep net, and grasshoppers using the time-effective soundscape approach. Results Bumblebee species richness and abundance were significantly higher in managed meadows, whereas bug and grasshopper richness and abundance showed no differences between both management types. Managed and abandoned meadows harboured significantly different species assemblages of bugs and grasshoppers, but not of bumblebees. Increasing flower cover and plant richness increased bumblebee 123Landscape Ecol (2017) 32:1937-1951 DOI 10.1007 richness, but correlated negatively with richness of bugs. Surrounding open landscape positively affected bugs. Caelifera positively correlated with surrounding forest cover and negatively with vegetation cover. Vegetation cover positively affected Ensifera. Conclusions Abandoned and extensively managed meadows are important habitat types for the conservation of the three insect groups, thus suggesting the maintenance of both habitat types within mountain landscapes.

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“…In addition, the dark colour of the bare soil might also increase heat absorption and warming of these microsites (cf. Stoutjesdijk & Barkman, 1992).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molehills as important larval habitats for the grizzled skipper, Pyrgus malvae (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), in calcareous grasslands

Streitberger¹,

Fartmann²

2013

Eur. J. Entomol.

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Abstract. Small-scale soil disturbance, such as animal mounds created by subterraneous ecosystem engineers are important microhabitats for species of conservation concern. There are many studies on the effects of ecosystem engineers on plant species diversity and soil properties, but the influence of such organisms on other taxa, such as insects, are rarely analyzed. In this paper, we demonstrate for the first time the role of molehills produced by the European Mole (Talpa europaea) (Linnaeus, 1758) as a larval habitat for a threatened butterfly species within central European calcareous grasslands. We selected the grizzled skipper (Pyrgus malvae) (Linnaeus, 1758) as a study species as previous studies revealed that it prefers warm and open microhabitats for oviposition. Our study clearly showed that host plants occurring on or in the close vicinity of molehills were regularly occupied by immature stages of P. malvae. Occupied host plants at these disturbed sites were characterized by a more open vegetation structure with a higher proportion of bare ground or stones and a lower cover of the herb layer compared with available host plants (control samples). Among molehills those were preferred that had the highest cover of host plants, especially Agrimonia eupatoria. Molehills are important larval habitats for P. malvae in calcareous grasslands on deeper soils. At these sites succession occurs rapidly and the amount of bare ground is usually low, even when they are managed. In contrast to other known breeding sites in calcareous grasslands, molehills with a high cover of host plants provide ideal conditions for the successful larval development of P. malvae: (i) sufficient food during the larval period and (ii) warm microclimatic conditions.

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Microclimate, Vegetation & Fauna

Cited by 55 publications

References 0 publications

How much care does a shrub-feeding hairstreak butterfly, Satyrium spini (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), need in calcareous grasslands?

How much care does a shrub-feeding hairstreak butterfly, Satyrium spini (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), need in calcareous grasslands?

Diversity of bumblebees, heteropteran bugs and grasshoppers maintained by both: abandonment and extensive management of mountain meadows in three regions across the Austrian and Swiss Alps

Molehills as important larval habitats for the grizzled skipper, Pyrgus malvae (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), in calcareous grasslands

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